2026 Opus One Summer Music Festival

Admin
Jul 1
4 min read

Updated: Jul 4

From London’s Historic Churches to Debussy’s Birthplace in Paris: The Opus One Summer Music Festival Launches its 2026 Dual-City Music Season

Montreal — June 2026

Opus One Music is incredibly proud to announce the launch of the 2026 Summer Music Festival. This meticulously curated, exquisite classical music series will take place concurrently in London and Paris from July 8 to July 16, 2026. Bringing together world-class artists alongside exceptional young pianists from various countries, the festival aims to build a magnificent cultural bridge through the power of art and music.

This year's festival boasts a stellar lineup of resident and guest artists. Among them is contemporary piano specialist Dr. Laura Farré Rozada, a piano doctoral graduate from the Royal College of Music / Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RCM/RBC) and professor at the Catalonia College of Music (ESMUC) in Spain. Sitting at the core of the festival's piano faculty is the legendary titan of the British piano world, Professor Julian Jacobson. In addition, the festival will feature violinist Yuri Zhislin, cellist Kirsten Jenson, clarinetist Piotr Dec, and Katharina Nohl (founder of the Swiss Women’s Music Festival), performing alongside a host of rising international musical talents.

2026 Festival Highlights & Program Schedule

London Concerts: An Exquisite Sensory Feast

July 8 (13:00) | Postcard from London (Opening Concert — Free Admission)

Venue: St Mary Le Strand Church
Repertoire: Cellist Kirsten Jenson joins forces with piano professor Julian Jacobson to deliver a soulful performance of Debussy's Cello Sonata. Katharina Nohl, founder of the "Women Composers Festival" in Switzerland, will present her original work Crystal. The afternoon will also spotlight the festival's rising younger generation, featuring youth violinist Luke Stepanyak and pianist Anxo Garcia performing Prokofiev's Five Melodies, alongside student showcases of works by Haydn and Scarlatti.

July 9 (18:00) | Twilight in the Clocktower (Strictly Limited to 30 Seats)

Venue: St Pancras Clocktower
Repertoire: Professor Julian Jacobson and clarinetist Piotr Dec will perform the complete Horovitz Sonata. The festival's students will deliver an exciting crossover performance, with a repertoire spanning from Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata to Joe Hisaishi's classic score from Porco Rosso.

July 11 (18:00) | ARASPEL (Myth) Candlelight Recital (Strictly Limited to 30 Seats)

Venue: St Pancras Clocktower
Repertoire: An intimate and romantic evening paired with champagne and candlelight. Laura Farré Rozada will perform rare and mystical Armenian classical music (Komitas & Babadjanian), including several UK premieres.

July 12 (11:00 - 12:00) | Student Solo Showcase

Venue: Duke's Hall, Royal Academy of Music
Repertoire: A stage dedicated to showcasing the personal artistry of outstanding young pianists. This showcase features special guest appearances by veteran musicians Melanie Spanswick and Michael Sheer, who will provide live commentary and professional guidance for the performing students.

July 12 (16:00) | The Carnival of the Animals (Family & Children's Special)

Venue: Duke's Hall, Royal Academy of Music (RAM)
Repertoire: A vibrant, cross-cultural family concert that beautifully pairs Saint-Saëns' timeless masterpiece with the humorous verses of Ogden Nash. The performance will be brought to life by outstanding young international artists representing four different countries.

July 12 (19:00) | Studio Ghibli: The Classics of Hayao Miyazaki & Joe Hisaishi (Encore Special)

Venue: Duke's Hall, Royal Academy of Music (RAM)
Repertoire: A highly anticipated performance showcasing Asian cultural heritage and artistic mastery. Following consecutive sold-out seasons and rave reviews during Montreal's Asian Heritage Month, the musicians of Opus One return to pay tribute to Miyazaki's iconic animations and Hisaishi's legendary scores through a breathtaking audiovisual experience.

Paris Special Project: Dual-City Collaboration

July 12 (14:00) | Debussy · London: Impressions of Debussy - Iconic Préludes & The Clarinet Rhapsody

Venue: Duke's Hall, Royal Academy of Music (RAM)
Repertoire: Professor Julian Jacobson and Piotr Dec team up once again to bring a meticulously selected repertoire of Debussy's Préludes and his Première Rhapsodie for clarinet.

July 15 (15:00) | Debussy · Paris: Harmonie d'aillleurs Recital (Free — Advanced Booking Required)

Venue: Maison Natale Debussy (Debussy Museum, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Paris)
Repertoire: In this historic musical pilgrimage, the professors and students of the Opus One Summer Music Festival will perform the complete Préludes (Book 1 and Book 2) inside Claude Debussy's childhood home. The concert explores the exoticism, distant modal colors, and foreign cultural inspirations that fundamentally reshaped Debussy’s sonic world—perfectly mirroring the festival’s own cross-cultural journey.

July 16 | Paris Joint Grand Finale Concert

Venue: Conservatoire de Courbevoie (Courbevoie Conservatoire)
Repertoire: The grand finale of this musical season—a joint concert hosted in collaboration with the Paris Piano Concerto Festival. International faculty and students will share the stage to celebrate the diversity and cross-cultural spirit of piano artistry.

Exclusive Benefit for Participants: We are thrilled to announce that all festival collaborators and students will enjoy free access to Concerto Companion for the duration of the festival, from July 1st to July 19th, 2026. A heartfelt thank you to Concerto Companion for their incredible support of this year's festival and our young artists!